Stencil printing machine



Dec. l, 1931. H. P. ELLIOTT STENCIL PRINTING MACHINEy Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1927 l, 1931. H. P. ELLIOTT STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 50, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. l, 1,931. H. P. ELLIQTT 1,833,936

STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /78 /m l kann. l i .Secreary 15.000 I l 1250.00 [$50.00 l

. rzveno. HM P, am

H. Fa ELL'I'OTT STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE Dec. 1, 193.1.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed sept. so, 1927 Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE Application filed September 30, 1927. Serial No. 223,159.

rlhis invention relates to stencil printing machines and particularly to machines adapted for making out payrolls, the data for which are carried by stencils.

In making out certain payroll lists, the name of the payee, his gross yearly salary, his monthly payment, and any amount deducted therefrom for various reasons, are required to be printed in order in a single line. The stencil for any particular employee, however, bears this data in several lines. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide means whereby the data carried by the several lines of the stencil are caused to be printed in a single line on the payroll or other sheet.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a stationary supported stencil, with holding means for the sheet adapted to be moved both late-rally and forwardly and rearwardly, thus to move the sheet laterally and at the same time forwardly under the stencil in such a manner that a lower line of the stencil can be printed beside a previously printed upper line of the stencil on the sheet.

A yet further object of the invention is the provision of a stencil printing machine having a stationary supported stencil with a movable mask for portions thereof and a movable sheet-holding support so arranged that the sheet can be moved laterally and forwardly and the mask also correspondingly moved so as to cover a previously printed lin-e of the stencil and uncover a lower line of the stencil and at the same time move the sheet into such a position that the exposed line will be printed beside the previously printed line.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to improve the construction and operation of stencil printing machines.

l is an end elevation of the stencil printing machine embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail elevation taken along line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a. sectional elevation taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation taken along line 7 7 of Fig. 2 and illustrating particularly one of the supporting means and the brake of the sheet feeding means.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8 8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9 9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the sheet supporting plate.

.Fig 1l is a detail of the printing mechamsm.

Fig. l2 is a plan detail of the pay roll sheet and the stencil mask in both of its operative positions.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a stencil employed in connection with this invention.

The stencil printing machine here shown as embodying the invention includes the horizontal table 20 supported by a frame 22. The table is provided with a pair of parallel elevated stencil tracks 24 extended horizontally over the table from one end to the other thereof and having grooves in their opposed faces in which the stencils are adapted to be moved. The stencils to be printed from are containedjn a pile in the stencil receiver 30 disposed above the tracks at the right hand end of the machine and a pusher 32 slidable along said tracks under the stencil holder is adapted to move the lowermost stencil of the pile along the track into and out of the printing position in the middle of the track to the left hand end thereof and to deliver them into a stencil receiver not shown. A printing roll 34 is disposed above the stencil track in the middle thereof and is ada-pted to be moved downwardly into contact with the stencil in the track and force ink through the printing characters onto a paper sheet disposed immediately beneath the track. Said roll is journalled on arms 36 which are integral with an elongated horizontal frame 38 having a horizontal paper passage 40 therethrough and disposed at the rear of the printing roll and the stencil track and pivoted on the pin 42.

A platen 44 is disposed beneath the stencil track and the printing roll 34 and is adapted to be raised to move and support the paper sheet in position immediately beneath the stencil at the time the printing roll 34 is moved downwardly to make the impression of the stencil on the sheet. Said platen is pivotally supported at the forward end of a lever 46 which has its rear end pivoted on a dependent bracket 48 carried by the table 20. The platen is reciprocated by means of a bell crank lever 50 pivoted on a shaft 52 carried by said bracket 48. The upper arm 50a of said bell crank lever has a cam face 505 which is adapted to ride under the roller 54 of the platen and thus raise and lower the platen.

The printing roller 34 is also reciprocated by said bell crank lever. To this end, the frame 38 has a depending arm 56 which carries a screw threaded extension 58 that has a pivotal connection with a link 60 also pivoted to the lower arm 50c of said bell crank lever. Said lever is reciprocated by mea-ns of a connecting rod 62 operating on an eccentric carried by the shaft 64 of the power drive apparatus indicated generally at 66. It is apparent that as said connecting rod 62 is reciprocated the platen and the printing roll will be reciprocated in timed relation.

The pusher 32 is reciprocated by means of a horizontally reciprocable arm 68 pivoted at its free end on a depending rod 70 of said pusher and having a hub 7 2 which is pivotally supported on a vertical stud shaft 7 4. Said hub has a lateral projection 7 6 which is received within the cam groove 78 of a cam lever 80 pivoted on the shaft 52. Since the machine is adapted to make two impressions from the same stencil, the pusher is adapted to be reciprocated only at every other operation of the printing roll and platen. To this end, the cam arm 80 is operated by the bell crank lever 50 and has a breakable connection therewith. For this purpose, the arm 50a of the bell crank lever has an extension 82 which carries a depending detent arm 84 that has at its lower end a detent 86 that is adapted to engage a notch 88 in the cam arm 80, thus to lock the bell crank lever and cam arm together for conjoint reciprocatory movements. rlhe locking and unlocking of the detent lever 84 is controlled by a star wheel 90 which is pivoted at 92 to said extension 82 and carries a ratchet wheel 94. A lever 96 is also pivoted at 92 and has a pivotal connection at its Lipper end with a link 98 which is pivoted at 100 to the depending bracket 98. A pawl 102 is pivoted to said arm 96 and is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel. As thus arranged every other stroke of the bell crank lever, acting through the arm 96, and link 98, serves to advance the ratchet wheel and, at every two forward movements, to move a tooth 104 of the star wheel against a roller 106 of the detent arm 84, thus to move the detent arm out of locking engagement with the cam arm 80 and hold it out of locking engagement during one printing operation. As a consequence, the pusher is held stationary during every alternate printing stroke of the platen and printing roller.

The machine so far described may be of more or less common construction.

The pay roll sheet adapted to be printed by the use of this machine is shown most particularly in Fig. 12. The sheet a contains a series of vertical columns b, c, al, and e, in which are adapted to be printed certain data carried by the stencil. The column Y) may carry the name 7 of the employee; below the name may appear the oiiicial title g of the employee, and on the same line, the yearly salary L. In the column c, the gross amount earned monthly j is desired to be printed in line with the yearly salary. In the column g also in line with the yearly salary is desired to be printed any deduction le and in the column e and in line therewith the net amount paid Z is to be printed. The stencil B, Fig. 13, however, has these various lines one above the other instead of having all the data or at least all of the data except the employees name in one line. As a consequence, means are provided whereby the data appearing in the three superposed lines of the stencil, or at least of the two lower lines of the stencil, can be printed in consecutive order on the same horizontal line of the pay roll sheet. The mechanism by which this result is obtained includes a flat sheet supporting plate 108, see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 10, which is disposed upon and above the forward part of the table 20 below the lower level of the stencil tracks. The table 20 is provided with a pair of parallel lands 110 which are raised above the surface of the table and are disposed beneath the forward and rear edges of the plate and are adapted to provide a support on which the plate can slide. Said lands are inclined slightly with respect to the lineJ of the stencil track so as to be in line with the movement of said sheet supporting plate as will presently appear. Said plate is provided with inset downwardly projecting lugs 112 which are adapted to ride upon said lands thus to provide bearings for said plate thereupon. Said plate is provided with a recess 114 in its rear edge through which the platen can operate in any position of the plate. The table 20 is provided with an elongated cam slot 116 having parallel side faces and disposed beneath the middle of the plate and extended from the right to the left and inclined somewhat with the line of the stencil track. Said plate is provided with a pair of pins 118 at its 130 opposite side edges which extend into said cam slot and have rollers 120 thereon which engage the side walls of the cam slot so that as said plate is moved to the right and left, it is caused to move backwardly and forwardly at the sam-e time by reason of the inclination of said slot. A plate 122 is fixed to said pins 118 beneath the table 20 of the machine and overlies the walls of the cam slot and thus prevents the plate from, unintentional detachment from the table.

The sheet supporting plate is adapted to be reciprocated to the right and to the left by means of a rotatable cam disc 124 which is disposed beneath the table 20 and is fixed to a horizontal rotatable shaft 126 carried by depending brackets 128. Said shaft carries a sprocket wheel 180 about which a chain 182 is passed and said chain is passed about a sprocket wheel 1,84 fixed to the shaft 64 of the driving mechanism. The sprocket 130 is twice the size of the sprocket 134 so that the cam 124 makes one revolution for every two printing operations. An arm 136 is carried by said bar 122 of the sheet supporting plate and extends downwardly adjacent said cam and has a roller 138 which rides over the face of the cam. A spring 140 is connected with said plate 122 and with a fixed part of the frame and serves constantly to urge said frame for movement toward the right against the action of said cam. The cam is provided with a dwell portion 142 which holds the plate motionless in its extreme left hand position and a second and opposite dwell portion 144 holds the plate motionless in its extreme right hand portion during another printing operation.

A stencil mask comprising a fiat plate 146 is carried detachably by brackets 148 and 150 secured to and extended rearwardly from the opposite sides of the sheet supporting plate in a position to closely overlie the stencil track and a stencil in printin0r position therein. Said mask is provided with an elongated opening 152 which has a length approximately corresponding with the length of the printing surface of the sencil and a height corresponding to two printing lines of the stencil. Said plate also has a second horizontally extended opening 154 at the right of said first opening, which is aligned with the bottom of and communicates with said opening 152 and has about the length thereof but is only one line high. `With this arrangement the printing occupying the lowermost line of the stencil can be printed on the paper sheet on the same line .as the previously printed second line of printing characters on the stencil.

Fig. 2 illustrates the mid position or normal position of the sheet-supporting plate. When the machine is started up with the payroll sheet on the sheet supporting plate 108, said plate is moved to the right by its cam 124 so that the opening 152 of the mask is above the stencil and exposes the first two lines only thereof as shown in Fig. 12. The printing mechanism then operates to make an imprint of these two lines upon the paper sheet at the left hand side thereof. The cam 124 is so shaped that as the printing roll and platen are retracted, the cam moves the plate 108 from the right to its extreme left hand position and then holds it stationary during a second printing operation, the stencil `also having remained motionless. In the extreme left position, the mask 146 has been moved to the left as shown in Fig. 12 and it and the plate have been moved forwardly or toward the front of the machine so that the opening 154 of the mask has been brought into position over the stencil and has been moved downwardly over the lowermost line of the stencil, thus to expose this line and to cover the other two lines. rlhe downwart movement of the sheet supporting plate .also carries with it the paper sheet so that this sheet has been moved to the left to disposed the columns c, (Z, c under the stencil and also has been moved downwardly so that the characters borne by the lowermost line of stencils will be printed in these columns in line with the second line of printing of the stencil, thus to accomplish one of the results desired.

Automatic sheet advancing means are arranged so that as the sheet supporting plate 108 is moved to its right hand position, the sheet is automatically caused to advance in readiness to print from the next stencil and in the ifext lower line beneath the previously printed characters. During this movement, the stencil pusher operates to move the previous stencil out of printing position and to move the next stencil into printing position. The sheet feeding means, see Figs 2, 4, 6 through 9. includes a shaft 156 which is horizontally disposed above the rear end of the sheet supporting plate 108. Said shaft is provided with a pair of sheet feeding rolls 158 which are adapted to bear upon the paper sheet on said plate and, when rotated, to move the sheet forwardly. Said shaft is supported in posts 160 carried by and upstanding from said plate 108 and is extended through vertically elongated bearing slots 162 in said posts so that the shaft and the rolls thereon can move upwardly. A bearing block 164 is disposed in a recess 166 in each post and is pressed against said shaft by a spring 168 thus to maintain the rollers yielding against the paper sheet. Said shaft is provided with a brake to hold it against rearward motion or backlash. To this end, a brake hub 170 is iixcd to said shaft and a resilient split brake band 1 7 2 encircles and frictionally engages said hub. rlhe braking pressure can be adjusted by the screw 17 4 which is adapted to draw the resilient arms of the band toward each other and the band is held against rotation by a pin 176 which is liXed to said band and is received loosely within an aperture in said plate 108.

Said sheet-driving shaft is rotated intermittently in one ldirection only by means including a one way clutch mechanism, see Figs. 2, 4 and 6. Said clutch mechanism comprises a hub 17 8 which is fixed to said shaft 156 at the right hand end thereof and has an integral drum 180. A clutch member 182 is disposed loosely upon said shaft within said drum and is provided with spring-pressed pawls 184 which are adapted to connect the drum and member 182 for conjoint rotation when said member 182 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction and to release the two members when said member 182 is rotated in a reverse direction. An upwardly extended arm 186 is fixed to said internal member 182 and has a roller 188 at its upper end which bears against an inclined plate 190 which extends above said clutch toward the left hand end of the machine. A spring 192 connected with said arm 186 serv-es to maintain said roller and cam arm 190 in operative connection. It is apparent that, with this arrangement, when the sheet supporting plate 108 is moved to the right, the clutch member 182 will be caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, F ig. 6, thus to rotate the feed rolls 158 and advance the sheet a suitable distance. The cam plate 190 is pivoted on a vertical screw 194 carried by the bracket 196 and the angle o-f said cam plate can be adjusted and locked in set position by the adjusting screws 198 whereby to set the sheet feeding mechanism to feed any desired amount at each complete stroke of the sheet holding plate.

The construction may be otherwise modilied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

My concurrently filed application Serial No. 223,160 illust-rates a ydifferent structure embodying the broader features herein disclosed and claimed.

I claim:

1. A stencil printing machine arranged to print characters on a sheet in a single line from a plurality -of stencils having such characters contained in several superposed hori- Zontal lines including means for moving successive stencils automatically in timed sequence into and out of one printing position and halting the stencils momentarily in the printing position, automatically operative means for moving the sheet forwardly through the printing position and also alternately in opposite directions laterally in timed relation with the movements of the stencils, and automatically operative means for movinga mask over the stencils at the printing position forwardly and rearwardly and also laterally with corresponding movements of the sheet.

2. A stencil printing machine having the combination of means to move a plurality of stencils in successive order into and out of one printing position and to hold the stencils momentarily in the printing position, means to support a sheet at the printing position in operative relation with the succesive stencils, means to move the sheet forwardly through the printing position and alternately in opposite directions laterally, a mask overlying the printing position, movable forwardly and rearwardly and also laterally with the sheet to expose different portions of the printing characters of the stencils, and operating mechanism for said stencil moving means and for said sheet moving means and for said mask arranged to move all of them automatically in timed relation with each other.

3. A stencil print-ing machine having the combination of means to move a plurality of stencils in successive order into and out of one printing position and to hold the stencils momentarily in the printing position, means to support a sheet at the printing position in operative relation with the successive stencils, means to move the sheet forwardly through the printing position relatively to said sheet support and alternately in opposite directions laterally, a mask overlying the printing position and movable in opposite directions forwardly and rearwardly and also laterally with the sheet to expose successive different portions of the printing` characters of the stencils, and operating mechanism for said stencil moving means and also for said sheet moving means and mask arranged to move them automatically in timed relation.

4. A stencil printing machine having means to move into and out of and to hold momentarily in printing position stencils having a plurality of superposed lines of characters, sheet receiving means adapted to support a sheet on which the printing lines of the stencil are adapted to be printed in a single line, means to effect the printing of the superposed lines of the stencil in one line on the sheet including means to impart a relative movement between the stencil and the sheet receiving means in two angularly related directions, means to feed the sheet progressively forward through the printing position on said-sheet receiving means, a mask adapted to cover a portion-of the stencil, and operating mechanism to operate the sheet receiving means, the sheet feeding means and the stencil moving means automatically in timed relation.

5. A stencil printing machine having means to hold a stencil in printing position,

a sheet support disposed beneath the stencil.

having provision for movement in the direction of stencil movement and also in a direction transverse thereto, and means to move the sheet forwardly through the printing position relative to said sheet support.

6. A stencil printing machine having means to hold a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath the stencil, means whereby the sheet support can be moved in the direction of stencil movement and also in a direction transverse with respect to such movement, and means controlled by the movement of said sheet support to move the sheet relative to said support forwardly through the printing position.

7. A stencil printing machine having means to hold a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath the stencil, a mask disposed in cooperative relation with the stencil to permit the printing of a portion only thereof, means to move both the sheet support and the mask in the direction of stencil movement and also in a direction transverse with respect thereto, and means to advance the sheet periodically over the sup- Dort. l 8. A stencil printing machine having means to hold the stencil in printing position, a movable sheet support disposed beneath said stencil, a stencil mask disposed above said stencil and carried by and movable with said sheet support, and means to move said sheet support in the direction of stencil movement.

9. A stencil printing machine having means to hold in printing position stencils having a plurality of superposed printing characters, a sheet support adapted to support a sheet on which at least two of the superposed lines of the stencil are adapted to be printed in single line and means to effect such printing including a mask disposed in cooperative relation with the stencil and having an opening therein adapted to expose an upper printing line of the stencil and shield a lower line, said opening being approximately twice the length of the printing space of the stencil and means to move the stencil and also the sheet receiving mean-s in the direction of stencil movement and also transversely with respect thereto by an amount equal to the distance between the originally exposed printing line of the stencil and the next lower line, whereby to locate the stencil in a position to cover the originally exposed upper line and expose the next lower line of the stencil and at the same time move the sheet into a location wherein the previously printed upper stencil line is beside and in line with the printing space for the lower uncovered stencil line.

l0. A stencil printing machine having a table, means to hold a stencil in printing position above said table, a sheet support disposed between said table and stencil, means to move a sheet on said support relatively thereto and under the stencil, means to move said sheet support in the line of stencil movement, and means to move said sheet support simultaneously in a transverse direction.

11. A stencil printing machine having a table, means to hold a stencil in printing position above said table, a sheet support 'disposed above said table and stencil, and means to move said sheet support generally in the line of stencil movement, said table having a cam face which is inclined with respect to the line of stencil movement and adapted to be engaged by a component part of said sheet support, whereby to eect movement of said sheet support also transversely of the line of movement of said stencil.

l2. A stencil printing machine having a stencil track, a printing roller and a platen disposed on opposite sides of said track, and a sheet supporting plate movable beneath said track and having a recess in that portion thereof disposed beneath said track through which said platen can operate.

13. A stencil printing machine comprising means to move a stencil into and out of printlng position, printing mechanism operable on the stencil when it is in printing position, a movable sheet support disposed beneath the stencil and reciprocable generally in the line of stencil movement, means to move a sheet over and relatively to said sheet support, and

means to operate said stencil moving means and said sheet moving means only after a predetermined number of printing operations.

14. A stencil printing machine comprising means to move a stencil into and out of printing position, printing mechanism operable on the stencil when it is in printing position, a movable sheet support disposed beneath the stencil and reciprocable generally in the line of stencil movement, means to move a.sheet over said support, and means to operate said printing mechanism repeatedly prior to the movement of a stencil out of printing position and the movement of the sheet over said support.

15. A stencil printing machine having means to move a stencil into and out of printing position, printing mechanism operable on the stencil when it is in printing position, a movable sheet support disposed beneath the stencil in the printing position thereof and reciprocable generally in the line of stencil movement, a stencil mask disposed above the stencil, means to move said mask and said sheet support at the same time generally in the line of stencil movement, and means to effect successive printing operations upon the same stencil prior to its movement out of printing position.

16. A stencil printing machine having means to hold a stencil in printing position, means to hold a sheet beneath the stencil,

means to move the sheet holding means in thel line of stencil movement, and means to advance the sheet beneath the stencil relatively to the sheet holding means after certain printing operations on the sheet.

17. Stencil printing means having means to hold a stencil in printing position, means to hold a sheet beneath the stencil and to move the sheet generally in the line of stencil movement alternately into tWo operative positions, printing mechanism to record the characters of the stencil on the sheet in both of said positions, and means to advance the sheet transversely of the line of stencil movement relatively to the sheet holding means only after such successive printing operations.

18. A stencil printing machine having means to support a stencil in printing position, means adapted to hold a sheet beneath the stencil and to move the sheet generally in the line of stencil movement alternately intotWo opposite operative positions, printing mechanism to record characters Icarried by the stencil on the sheet in both of said positions, means to advance the sheet relatively to the sheet holding means transversely of the line of stencil movement after such successive printing operations, and means to move the stencil out of printing position only `after such successive printing operations.

19. A stencil printing machine having means to hold a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath said stencil and characterized by being reciprocable generally in the line of stencil movement, and a sheet feeding means operable to engage and move a sheet on and relative to said sheet support transversely of the line of movement of the stencil.

20. A stencil printing machine .having means to hold a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath said stencil holding means and characterized by being reciprocable generally in the line of stencil movement, sheet feeding means operable to engage and move a sheet on said sheet support transversely of the line of movement of the stencil, and means to operatesaid sheet feeding means during each alternate reciprocatory movement of said sheet support.

21. A stencil printing machine having means to support a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath said stencil supporting means and movable generally in the line of movement of said stencil, sheet feeding means for the sheet on said stencil carried bysaid sheet support, and independently supported operating means for said sheet 'feeding means.

22. A stencil printing machine having means to support a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath said stencil supporting means and movable generally in the line of movement of said steneil, sheet feeding means for the sheet on said sheet support carried by said sheet support, and independently supported operating means for said sheet feeding means characterized by operating said sheet feeding means during eachY alternating reciprocatory movement of said sheet support.

23. A stencil printing machine having means to hold a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath said stencil holding means and movable generally in the line of stencil movement, sheet feeding means including feed rolls carried by said sheet support and engageable with the sheet thereon, an operating mechanism for said rolls including a stationary supported cam member and a one way clutch mechanism engageable With said cam member during the reciprocatory movement of said sheet support to advance said feed rolls in a step by step manner in the same direction.

24. A stencil printing machine having means to hold a stencil in printing position, a sheet support disposed beneath said stencil holding means and movable generally in the line of stencil movement, sheet feeding means including feed rolls carried by said sheet support-and engageable With the sheet thereon, an operating mechanism for said rolls including a stationarily supported cam member, a one Way clutch mechanism engageable With said can member during the reciprocatory movement of said sheet support to advance said feed rolls in a step by step manner in the same direction, and brake mechanism to hold said rolls yieldingly in any rotated position in which they may rest.

25. A stencil printing machine having means to support a stencil in printing position, a sheet supporting plate disposed beneath said stencil supporting means and reciprocable generally in the line of stencil movement, sheet feeding mechanism comprising a shaft disposed above said plate and having journals in Which said shaft is free for vertical movement, feed rolls carried by said shaft, a brake drum fixed to said shaft, a. brake band encircling said drum and having a connection With said plate, an operating mechanism for said shaft including a stationarily supported cam member and a one Way clutch mechanism having one element fixed to said shaft and having its cooperating element disposed in position to engage said cam member to rotate the'shaft during reciprocatory movements of said plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s ecification.

ILIARMON P. ELLIOTT.

lll() lil.) 

